"A week ago, I woke up to learn that the comics industry was storming into San Diego with more announcements about licensed comics based on old movie and TV franchises, gender-bending superheroes, crossover events that previously would have been relegated to the realm of fan fiction, and the brutal murder of a beloved children's character," said Stephenson at the opening of his speech.

"I texted a friend with some of this news, and his response was, 'Eric, it's not even 10 am. Are you drunk?' The punch line to that joke is I wish I had been.

"It's hard to believe that as far as comics have come since the turn of the century, with the tremendous impact comics have had on the cultural landscape, and all the hard-fought success we've achieved as a medium that is finally beginning to be taken seriously, this is still what passes for 'new' to the overwhelming majority of the comic book industry," Stephenson continued.

"Grave robbing the past in an attempt to pump new life into decades-old characters. Treating gender equality and cultural issues as though they're little more than gimmicks to increase sales.

"That's the comic book industry of the past, ladies and gentleman, and this year, it's clinging on for dear life. We've invited you here today, though, to talk about the future."